CSIR products a major attraction for visitors

Our Correspondent

Kangra, December 16

The stall of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research was a major attraction for visitors to ‘Avishkar Expo’ The Rural Technologies Fair 2014, which concluded at Utsav Palace here today.

Dr Bhaavya Bhargava, Scientist (Floriculture), CSIR, IHBT, Palampur, said sugar-free products and gluten-free snack bar developed from fago purium puffing without artificial ingredients were the products developed by CSIR scientists.

Bhargava said sativa, 300 times sweeter than sugar without calories, was produced in powder form by scientists and would be available shortly. He said this could be used as a tea bag in tea and lemon water by diabetic patients.

He said cut-flower and thornless roses of CSIR, bird of paradise flower, lilium, alstroemeria, chrysanthmum and gerbera and developed flowers were among major attractions for visitors.

With the focus on schoolchildren and pregnant women, an iron and calcium-rich 100 gm mango bar was also exhibited, besides tea wine, tea concentrate and chilled tea.

Sunil Kaushal, spokesman of the Delhi-based NGO Sansa Foundation, which organised the fair, said students and youth visited other different stalls too, but the CSIR stall was a major attraction.